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Saturday, September 10, 2005

Union-busting at Northwest

there's simply no other way to view it... one of the reasons bushco was loath to prop up the airlines financially after 9/11, particularly the big carriers, was that they saw an opportunity to rid them of their unions by passively standing by while the carriers wrung every last drop out of the unionized workforces until there was virtually nothing left... it's working at united... it's working at northwest... it's working at american... and it's working at delta... of course, then there's usair which has already completed screwing its employees to the wall, the last screw being its merger with americawest...

Northwest declined to confirm the new savings target, but the airline has said soaring fuel costs could force it to ask for more givebacks from the 4,400 workers represented by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association.

Bob Rose, president of AMFA Local 5 in Detroit, said the airline issued the proposal to union negotiators on Thursday, the day the two parties resumed talks. AMFA ended previous talks when its members walked off the job on August 20, saying Northwest was asking for unreasonable concessions.

The updated proposal stands even less chance of being ratified by members than Northwest's previous offer, which would have granted the airline USD$176 million in savings. That proposal would have cut about half of its AMFA-represented jobs and imposed hefty pay cuts on the remaining workers.

"How can they get 75 percent of the people to vote themselves out of a job?" Rose said. "It's absolutely ridiculous."

well, of course, 75% of the people aren't going to vote themselves out of a job... so, what's the alternative...? hmmmmmmmm...??? think about it...